San Jose first came to fame at the advent of the original dot-com boom—it's the heart of Silicon Valley and, as such, gets more business travel and specifically convention traffic than just about any other city in the United States. The San Jose McEnery Convention Center is the focal point of downtown, and literally impossible to miss. Right nearby are two popular tourist attractions, the Tech Museum and the Children's Discovery Museum (nicknamed "the purple building" because of its distinctive lavender hue). The new IMAX theater is attached. The city's newest attraction, Monopoly in the Park, is located in Guadalupe River Park—it's the largest Monopoly game in the world, certified by the Guinness World Records. Two of San Jose's cultural landmarks are the California Theatreand the Center for the Performing Arts.

Like many modern cities, San Jose is a metropolitan area, not just a city. Some of its biggest tourist attractions are outside the city borders. California's Great America and Raging Waters are the two that teenagers will clamor to visit. Winchester Mystery House is also a popular day trip. For great restaurants, shopping, and people-watching, check out Santana Row, Los Gatos, or Saratoga.